A Place To Bloom

A Man

I gazed at the massive planks pulled tight against the stone archway, and watched the men on the ramparts for some sign that she might have arrived. Miyani had said that she'd try to meet me at Praying Mantis.

Maybe.

I could wait all night and she might not come. What if she was busy? What if she was making love to that boy right now, lying down on her back and looking up at his face, calling out his name at this very moment?

My knee hurt from tripping on those steps earlier, but my head felt like it was about to explode. I needed to do something—anything—to free my mind from these chains.

The mess hall was about a third the size of the one at Carthia with the same open walls, but the ceiling had those fur-like roots hanging down that cooled the air and gave a calming earthy scent.

Geraln sat with Davod over hammered-copper mugs. He raised his hand and called me over, so I sat. His chubby cheeks smiled, and he poked his finger into my arm. "Tell him it's true!"

"Uh..." I looked back and forth between them and assured Davod, "it's absolutely true. Whatever it is."

Davod's face was buried in his cup. Geraln explained. "That they'd been taking shots at that guy all day. Jaysa—that's that guy over there—he missed, even I missed. Your boy Caleb comes up, nails both his feet to the log. Shut him the hell up, man!"

Davod set his cup down and shrugged. "I believe you."

From another table, men erupted in laughter. Ales, Faren, Gino, Jame, Northstar, Jezi, and the three Orca men from Kylen's group all gathered around Borel 'More-Bitches-Than-You,' who had a wisp of a young native woman sitting on his lap with one arm draped over his muscular shoulders.

Another young native woman, average height with a soft build and generous hips, set a hammered-copper mug before me with another each for my friends. She then came closer to brush her hand across my shoulder and leaned in close with an inviting smile. "hewo! I ŋem sofiya!"

"zawa," I answered. "ŋæɣʊde Caleb."

Geraln shook his head and chuckled to himself while Davod swallowed hard from his mug. sofiya smiled wide, stroking along the back of my neck, and bent over to allow her pendulous breasts to hang before me; her skin smelt like some kind of wildflower. She passed eyes all around my face and down my chest until she found the ear pendant Miyani had given me. Immediately her face reeled from shock. She stood up straight, clasped her hands together and bowed, "kupade! kupade!" before scurrying back to the kitchen.

Davod doubled over, banging his fist against the table between fits of laughter. Geraln chuckled hard, then squeaked out, "so... Sarina. Here's what you need to do. Go kill an enemy in battle..."

Davod lifted himself up and chuckled out loud, slapping his chair.

I wondered if some boy would ask sofiya for 'æmiʃʌði. Or what about the woman in Borel's lap? She clung to the back of his neck and giggled into his eyes, leaning her lithe body into his and stroked his back. If some boy were to ask her, what would Borel say about it? Likely he'd be man enough to put his foot down over it.

I sipped my drink. Right away, a dazzling ribbon of fruity sweetness wrapped around my tongue and distracted me so that I almost missed the strong undertone of alcohol as it snuck past my senses.

Borel called out to us. "You three! Get over here!"

Davod glanced between me and Geraln and shrugged, then swallowed the rest of his drink and stood. I brought mine over, and Borel held up some coins for sofiya, who took them and disappeared into the kitchen.